Kingsborough Wavewirehttp://kccwavewire.com
Student-Reported, Faculty Edited JournalismWed, 11 Oct 2017 14:19:21 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.2100678843Gaga: Five Foot Two Review: Inside the Heart of a Pop Iconhttp://kccwavewire.com/2017/10/gaga-five-foot-two-review-inside-the-heart-of-a-pop-icon/
http://kccwavewire.com/2017/10/gaga-five-foot-two-review-inside-the-heart-of-a-pop-icon/#respondWed, 11 Oct 2017 14:18:45 +0000http://kccwavewire.com/?p=877The new Netflix documentary, “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” directed by Chris Moukarbel (Banksy Does New York), allows the viewer to get to know who the woman behind the pseudonym “Lady Gaga” really is. It’s a beautiful and emotional documentary that shows how she became a star. After a five-year break from the limelight, “she finally found herself” and “Gaga; Five Foot Two” is all about the self-discovery process.

Some would say Lady Gaga is the most controversial artist since Madonna. With her loud outfits, chameleon-like looks and artsy videos, they may have a point. But as proven with her most recent album “Joanne,” Lady Gaga is more than just a diva. She’s Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, a New York City girl with Italian roots, who has anxieties, doubt, and issues.

Documentaries about celebrities, especially the ones who disappeared for a while, often give the feeling of a staged and some sort of reality show concept a là “Keeping Up With The Kardashians.” But not so with Gaga. It doesn’t give the impression Germanotta is in need of money or publicity. Someone who has more than 20 million followers on social media, must still be in demand, right? She often shows her appreciation for her fans when she gets close with them to take pictures or surprises them with tickets to her show, but she never seems to be bothered by her fan base- shown in a few scenes.

“Gaga; Five Foot Two” is a stirring whiplash that showcases the struggles of the comeback from an artist that was made into something she wasn’t, not just by her record label, but also by searching for her true self. Besides the fancy things, the documentary also shows that fame always comes with a price to pay; since the show must go on. No matter if it means to have a broken hip or to be sleep deprived. But it also reflects on the vulnerability that comes with being a pop star. The loneliness, failed relationships and depression all comes shining through.

The opening scene shows a morning in the life of Germanotta in her house in Los Angeles, somewhere far away from the Hollywood glam. Gaga might seem as though she’s an extrovert on stage and in the limelight but in private she’s just an ordinary girl from New York, humble, funny and humane. Even when she’s with her team of dancers, choreographers, stylists, and producers; there’s no sign of superiority.

Although “Gaga; Five Foot Two” was shot in a more monotone setting, it gives the viewer the feeling of being there with Germanotta. As if she was a friend, you have known for a long time. A friend that finally has returned from her journey and who’s afraid to show the world her true colors and this is what the documentary is about. The raw and real Gaga. The Gaga who looks like she went to “Beacon’s Closet” instead of “Bergdorf Goodman.” The Gaga that is not afraid to show her dark roots of her bleached platinum hair, and her bare skin. Gaga has put a lot of heart into her album “Joanne” which she named after her deceased aunt of the same name. She even made sure her album sells in stores when she stopped by a local Walmart.

It’s a deep and inspirational documentary, at times funny that represents a more humane side of a high demand pop star, whose name got inspired by the Queen’s song “Radio Gaga.”

]]>http://kccwavewire.com/2017/10/gaga-five-foot-two-review-inside-the-heart-of-a-pop-icon/feed/0877Gerald’s Game Review: The Suspenseful and Terrifying Netflix Originalhttp://kccwavewire.com/2017/10/geralds-game-review-the-suspenseful-and-terrifying-netflix-original/
http://kccwavewire.com/2017/10/geralds-game-review-the-suspenseful-and-terrifying-netflix-original/#respondMon, 02 Oct 2017 14:47:48 +0000http://kccwavewire.com/?p=868Inducing night terrors and plenty of suspense, director and writer Mike Flanagan (Ouija: Origin of Evil) and screenplay writer Jeff Howard (Oculus) adapted Stephen King’s 1992 novel “Gerald’s Game,” into a Netflix original that’s a brilliant twist that forces you to look deep inside your soul. Like Freud would say “Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.”

At first, it seems, as if King lives out his darkest sexual desires that involve handcuffs and rape fantasies in an idyllic house in the middle of nowhere. But there’s more to see here than the literally naked eye can see. In a way, it reminds of “The secret window” starring Johnny Depp (Blow), where he plays a schizophrenic writer and most of the happening, happens in his mind.

“Gerald’s Game” is set in the mind of “Jessie Burlingame,” starring Carla Gugino (San Andreas) who questions her marriage to her husband, “Gerald,” portrayed by Bruce Greenwood (I, Robot). After a sex game gone horribly wrong and Jessie has no way to escape, her thirsty mind tries to unfold the mysteries surrounding her.

There’s not much of a backstory prior the first scene, but the viewer is aware of the fact that the relationship between Jessie and Gerald is on its last straw because Jessie refuses Gerald’s gentle touches.

The reason behind their weekend trip into the middle of nowhere is a retreat to boost their rocky marriage with some added spice in their sex life, which goes from “happy-go-lucky” to “hell no.”

The film has everything to do with the differences between the two. Jessie, a beautiful voluptuous woman with luscious dark locks and sultry rose-pink lips is married to Gerald, who’s a lot older than her, with greyish-white hair, sun-kissed, matured skin and an appetite for viagra pills; a couple that has worlds between them. It’s obvious that Jessie has a “Daddy’s complex” and it comes to the surface when Gerald wants to be called “Daddy” while he dominates her. It ends up all going horribly wrong, in the best way possible.

“Gerald’s Game” is a deep psychological thriller that tries to unravel the connection we have to ourselves and others. It’s an experience of constant-adrenaline pumping hysteria. Although most of the scenes are shot in the bedroom, where Jessie is trying to escape, she tries even more so to escape her own mind. Because what do you do when you have time and nowhere to go? You think. You can feel the pain of leg cramps, the thirst in your throat, you feel with Jessie. The viewer becomes Jessie.

Ultimately and above all else, “Gerald’s Game” is intense. If you can’t see graphic movies, you might want close your eyes or squeeze a stress ball during this flick. No other thriller in the Netflix original lineup can live up to this one. “Gerald’s Game” is as twisted as it gets.

]]>http://kccwavewire.com/2017/10/geralds-game-review-the-suspenseful-and-terrifying-netflix-original/feed/0868Berlin Syndrome Review: A Rollercoaster of Angst and Sweaty Palmshttp://kccwavewire.com/2017/09/863/
http://kccwavewire.com/2017/09/863/#respondSun, 17 Sep 2017 15:05:33 +0000http://kccwavewire.com/?p=863“Berlin Syndrome” represents exactly what mother used to warn us about: “Don’t go home with strangers.” It’s an exhilarating piece of art, directed by Cate Shortland (Somersault) and written by Shaun Grant (The Snowtown Murders). It’s a brilliant countdown of trust, fear and lust in combination with thrilling, unpredictable moments that keep the viewer reeling with anticipation.

Shortland (Somersault) tries to show the viewer the innocence of a child with the naive and careless act of an adult, which captures the essence of pure terror and trust in the film adaption of the novel “Berlin Syndrome,” by Melanie Joosten (Gravity Well). It’s mesmerizing and breathtaking and doesn’t need much to create a goose bump effect that leaves the viewer with a different world-view when it comes to foreign cities and strangers.

Photojournalist “Clare,” portrayed by Australian actress Teresa Palmer (Lights Out) escapes her native land to gain “those life experiences, that people talk about all the time” and takes the next available flight to the former GDR to take photographs for her book. As life happens, Clare randomly runs into a handsome, tall and typical German-native that she briefly saw in the bookstore before.

“Help yourself. Do you like strawberries? They make you forget your problems,” says the charming “Andi,” played by Max Riemelt (The Wave). Andi’s charismatic blue eyes and heavy German accent pierces right into Clare’s clueless heart, that soon her idea of a one-night-stand with a stranger turns into a regrettable thought as it unravels later.

Unaware of the fact that all along warning signs appear right in front of her, as if it was taken from a Brothers Grimm novel.

Up to this point, some sweat will begin to seep from the viewer’s palm, but the heavy breathing and cold, dripping starts more and more when Andi parks his car in his quiet neighborhood and leads Clare to an abandoned backyard building- with Andi as the only tenant.

It’s not that Andi reveals his true self then and there and it’s not that “Berlin Syndrome” shows its true form either. It’s German cinema-drama, which usually contains psychotic-thrilling mechanisms to pump up the blood in the viewer’s veins. And it’s not yet sinister when the door is locked from the outside, or when Clare notices the word “mine” written on her shoulder, but it does slowly creep up, the thought to be a forced girlfriend to a disturbed English teacher who has problems remembering the word “contemplating.”

The excitement builds up like strong tension and gets released for a brief moment in hope Clare’s trick gets her help to escape.

Although the movie doesn’t disclose much of Clare’s life, the viewer is able to get to know more about Andi and somehow feels for him, even understands his pathetic, obsessive-compulsive character. And though the short-lived romance is long gone, the sexual tension is still lingering in the air. For Andi it’s control and fear, for Clare it’s the only way out if she just plays along, or so she thinks.

The one hour and 55-minute film make you feel as if you are trapped with Clare, every motion, any moment now it seem that Clare could figure a way out, but even when she is in the free with Andi she is paralyzed to escape his power over her. There’s a slight moment in the beginning when Clare noticed something is clearly wrong but is either in denial or too afraid to leave Andi. The chemistry of both actors is natural and the performance of the disturbed lonely-boy and the lost tourist are remarkably authentic. Two cultures connect, yet clash but still find a way to make it work, like in every relationship, which seems normal on the surface, oftentimes can be the exact opposite. Simply put, “Berlin Syndrome” is Stephen King’s “Misery” of 2017. It’s a rollercoaster of angst and sweaty palms.

]]>http://kccwavewire.com/2017/09/863/feed/0863It Review: More Coming of Age Than Scare Festhttp://kccwavewire.com/2017/09/it-review-more-coming-of-age-than-scare-fest/
http://kccwavewire.com/2017/09/it-review-more-coming-of-age-than-scare-fest/#respondMon, 11 Sep 2017 12:21:12 +0000http://kccwavewire.com/?p=856Clowns are meant to bring children joy with their playful antics and joyous demeanor, but Pennywise does nothing but the complete opposite in the modern-day retelling of Stephen King’s It.

Originally released in 1986 and adapted into a TV miniseries that aired in 1990, this 2017 remake will have you split down the middle. A great tale more similar to Stranger Things than the original, the scares don’t float the way they used to.

It tells the story of a supernatural being that terrorizes the children of Derry, Maine. Pennywise (played by Bill Skarsgård) who is the friendly, dancing clown exploits his victims deepest, darkest fear to lure them into his inescapable death trap. One could say Pennywise has some similarities to Freddy Krueger, since he’s more of a comical killer and feeds off the fears of children. It was both interesting and entertaining to watch how the clown used his supernatural powers to mold and create an illusion only his victim can see. He can retrieve the fear that they’re most afraid of and use it to his advantage, which can be seen as both disturbing and troubling.

There were some heart-pounding, scary moments that would make the watcher jump in their seat and gasp in surprise, IT fails to captivate the same way as the original.For example, when the kids were in a garage, watching a camera reel and Pennywise appeared on the projector- that was freaky. As the slides kept rolling, he came out of the projector and gave the kids a huge fright. Also, when one of the kids witnessed a woman with a malformed face emerge from a painting. These moments were essential to the film because it showed the inner workings of Pennywise and the extent of his power. It also showed how far he would go to terrorize his victims, no matter how ruthless his actions may be. It also made one wonder the origins of it. Pennywise was a being beyond comprehension and would expect the movie to explain this, but it didn’t. So, if one didn’t read the book and solely relied on the movie to give a thorough explanation, they would assume that It was a supernatural being with an unknown origin, it would cause one the wonder if it could even be stopped

Aside from the jump scares, there were some lighthearted moments that one could feel at ease while watching. Like when the new kid Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor) and Bill started to show visible signs of having feelings for Beverly (Sophia Lillis). There were times where the viewer could see the children engage in childish behavior, making one remember their youth and smile at their innocence. One could also feel the tight knit bond shared between the small group, which consists of Bill, Beverly, Ben, Richie (Finn Wolfhard), Mike (Chosen Jacobs), Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer) and Stanley (Wyatt Oleff). They were all willing to risk their lives to help the other, which was both heartwarming and pleasing to watch.

Director Andy Muschietti did an exceptional job retelling the horror story that was originally written by Stephen King. He kept to the original story while making minor changes, like changing the time frame. He even included a backstory for Beverly, where she was being sexually abused by her father. This explained the behavior she displayed in the film, like her flirtatious attitude and being labeled as a slut by her peers. It made one develop a sense of understanding for Beverly, where the root of her actions was shown. These minor changes still made the movie enjoyable, since, in the end, they stuck to the original story.

Overall, while IT has its share of scares, it was more of a comical flick than a fright-inducing one. What made the movie a good watch was the notable performance from the child actors, which was both powerful and well done. Also, the children’s bravery was admirable from beginning to end. But as far as terror goes, there wasn’t much present in the film.

]]>http://kccwavewire.com/2017/09/it-review-more-coming-of-age-than-scare-fest/feed/0856Shawna Virago: Heaven Sent Delinquent Review: For Everyonehttp://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/shawna-virago-heaven-sent-delinquent-review-for-everyone/
http://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/shawna-virago-heaven-sent-delinquent-review-for-everyone/#respondThu, 29 Jun 2017 13:50:17 +0000http://kccwavewire.com/?p=818No matter your religious or political views, Shawna Virago’s newest album, “Heaven Sent Delinquent” is for everyone. It is not only about her life as a transgender, it is about life in general. The album is honest, witty, and original. Music has a way of uniting people, and Virago attempts that; she uses her lyrical and melodious powers to encourage tolerance and understanding.

The album opens with a folky acoustic track, “Bright Green Ideas,” which features a catchy hook. It’s a great light open to the album. The album suddenly turns serious with the second track, “Gender Armageddon,” which opens with electric guitar that turns acoustic. The song is about being able to escape a bad place with lyrics like, “Last night I dreamed we stole a car/ and smashed through the gates of heaven.”

The third track, “The Ballad of Miss Suzy Texas,” has a folk-rock vibe, and is about a woman who you may not want to mess with. The song portrays Virago’s witty lyrical capabilities with lyrics like, “She had a date with destiny/ To give her ex-husband fistfuls of misery “Last Night’s Sugar” again features acoustic guitar and smart lyrics like, “Some people have no surprises in them/ you can set your clock by their routines.” The title track begins with a memorable guitar beat, and Virago talks about being misunderstood and ostracized, and finally running away with a “Heaven Sent Delinquent.”

“Burnout” opens with the lyrics, “The girls wore black/ like they was Sylvia Plath/ boy I bet they never even read her.” The track is consistent with its humorous lyrics, and perfectly portrays new experiences at a party. Virago channels her inner Bob Dylan with a guest appearance from a harmonica, in this track and in her final track, “Land of Guns and Honey.” Another standout song is “Anniversary Song” which has a beautiful acoustic melody.

Virago is called anti-folk and punk, and while she is both of those, she is first and foremost a singer-songwriter. Her lyrics and guitar are loyal companions throughout this album, which also shows that she is someone who has talent and knows her music. For those who listen to stripped down, lyrical music, this album is worth a listen, sexual preference aside.

]]>http://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/shawna-virago-heaven-sent-delinquent-review-for-everyone/feed/0818Ten Films That Changed Pop Culturehttp://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/ten-films-that-changed-pop-culture/
http://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/ten-films-that-changed-pop-culture/#respondThu, 29 Jun 2017 13:46:28 +0000http://kccwavewire.com/?p=815Hollywood releases hundreds, if not thousands of movies every year, and a good portion of them barely leaves an impact to the public. However, there are the rare films that do stick out and make a difference in their respective genres and the film industry itself. These are the movies that forever changed popular culture.

10: AKIRA

Released in 1988 and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, Akira is a cyberpunk dystopian science fiction anime film adaptation of Otomo’s doorstopper manga of the same name.

Akira is one of the greatest animated and science fiction films of all time and it also gave birth to the second wave of anime fandom in America in the 1990s.

American audiences began to see anime as a legitimate form of entertainment, therefore, Japan was able to send its animated films and series oversea such as My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Ghost in the Shell (1995), Princess Mononoke (1997) and Cowboy Bebop (1998).

Akira’s influence did not stop in its home island, its impact spread onto American popular culture and influenced live action films and television shows as The Matrix (1999), Chronicle (2012), Looper (2012) and Stranger Things (2016).

9: Star Wars: The Original Trilogy

As Stephen Colbert recalls the memories he had when first he watched Star Wars back in 1977 he said, “We went to school the next day unable to explain to our friends how everything was different now.”

The original Star Wars trilogy not only changed the science fiction genre but the film industry and the concept of popular culture as a whole. It’s memorable dialogue, special and sound effects, plotlines, characters, cinematography, costumes, animatronics, characters and so much more was able to captivate its audience and was referenced or parodied in other works ever since.

The film trilogy launched the careers of Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher into stardom and popularizes the concept of trilogy throughout the industry.

8: Iron Man

Released in 2008 and directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man was the first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a shared universe where superheroes and supervillains created by Marvel Comics will interact with each other.

Marvel Studios was able to take the Marvel Universe into live action where superheroes and supervillains are in our world and have to deal with real life implications, laws and actions.

With Favreau’s direction and Robert Downey Jr.’s performance as Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) Iron Man was a success and allowed the MCU to grow and expand into other forms of media.

Marvel’s main competitor DC Comics, along with Warner Brothers, created their own cinematic universe with their own superhero properties. Universal Studio is also involved with shared universes, only this time with classic horror monsters under their “Dark Universe.”

Granted, shared universes are not a new concept but Iron Man and the MCU is what brought it back into the spotlight.

7: Scarface

Scarface (1988) was directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone and is a remake of the 1932 film of the same name. Al Pacino stars as the titular character Tony Montana, a.k.a. Scarface, a Cuban refugee who eventually becomes the kingpin of crime and drugs in Miami, as he tries to achieve the American Dream in his own twist manner.

When it first premiered, critics panned Scarface as it was considered to be extremely violent and vulgar for their taste, but throughout the years, people were grasped by Al Pacino’s acting and his thick Cuban accent and were hypnotized by the grittiness of the Miami underworld, especially the Hip-Hop community.

A-stars rappers such as Jay Z, Snoop Dogg and Method Man praised the film. Jay Z in his song Ignorant Sh*t praised the film and at the same time dissed Scarface the rapper. “Scarface the movie did more than Scarface the rapper to me,” rapped Jay Z. Even Nas pays respect to the film as he dedicated a song’s title to Montana’s motto, The World is Yours.

Scarface has left its scar on popular culture.

6: Pulp Fiction

Released in 1994 Pulp Fiction is black comedy crime film, revolves around a large cast of characters all trying to survive the chaotic events that are presented to them.

Lines, dialogue, monologues and scenes so unforgettable, “English Motherf*cker do you speak it”, “Royale with cheese”, Marvin’s famous death, the restaurant scene at the beginning, Ezekiel 25:17 (to which some actually think Jules is speaking straight out of the Bible), and of course the badass boast from Marsellus himself, “I’ma get medieval on your ass” it’s hard not quote or even act these lines or scenes with your friends.

Pulp Fiction was the film that established Tarantino as a talented director of many trademarks such as extreme acts of violence, black comedy, cultivating characters and dialogue, non-linear narratives and foot fetishes. It revived the career of John Travolta, launched the careers of Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman and actually showed the film industry that independent films could be profitable and marketable.

5: The Blair Witch Project

Before the release of The Blair Witch Project, the found footage genre was related to one film, Cannibal Holocaust (1980). However, in 1999 Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, the directors of The Blair Witch Project brought the genre into the mainstream.

With a limited budget and props, a script with only 35 written pages and inexperienced actors, the film was probably set to fail, however with a trick or two up its sleeves, it managed the revolutionized the horror genre forever.

The marketing campaigns behind it were spread across the Internet, and took full advantage of it, as the crew manages to put online, documents, footage, dossiers, interviews, and even documentaries to blur the lines of what was real and what was not. It manages to convince people that events behind the film actually happen.

The cold temperature, a limited supply of food, the actors sharing the name of their characters and the production crew intentionally screwing with the cast to enforced the method acting increased the tension of fear and suspense of the film and gave it straight to the audience.

The film brought a new wave of the genre into the 2000s and 2010s, with films such as Paranormal Activity (2007), Cloverfield (2008) Chronicle, Project X, and V/H/S (all in 2012) taking inspiration from the film.

4: Saving Private Ryan

“War is hell,” said General Sherman. Steven Spielberg was able to capture that message in his 1998 epic war film, Saving Private Ryan.

Throughout the film, we don’t hear any of the orchestra music performed by John Williams instead we hear screams of agony, fear, pain and death, rapid firing of bullets and explosions from the battlefield.

The color of the film, rather than bright and colorful is dark and gray to depict the bleakness of war. As well throughout the film we see blood and gore from fallen soldiers to further display the horrors of war. All of this is displayed even further in the infamous Omaha Beach scene.

Before Saving Private Ryan, the Vietnam War was the center of war/action films, but the film brought America’s attention back to WWII.

The History Channel produced countless documentaries on the war and due to the success of the film, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg produced television miniseries such as Band of Brothers (2001) and The Pacific (2010) based on the European and Pacific Ocean Theater of World War II.

Even video games such as Call of Duty and Battlefield first started out as first person shooters based on WWII.
Saving Private Ryan was able to bring back a war that left in this history book almost half century ago into the modern age.

3: Annie Hall

Annie Hall was released in 1977 and was directed and written by Woody Allen. The film stars Woody Allen himself as Alvy Singer, the New Yorker neurotic Jewish comedian boyfriend of Diane Keaton’s titular character Annie Hall.

Annie Hall was originally meant to be dramatic suspense murder mystery plot, while the now famous comedic romance story as the subplot.

However, the film’s editor Ralph Rosenblum did not like the murder mystery pl ot, and manage to convince Allen to drop it, and leave the romantic comedy aspect of it. As result, this is why the film has a non-linear narrative.
Annie Hall drastically changed the romantic comedy genre, and influence film such as When Harry Met Sally… (1989), High Fidelity (2000), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), (500) Days of Summer (2009) and among so many others.

2: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

In 1937, Walt Disney released a lighter and softer adaption of Snow White, the German fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers titled Snow White and Seven Dwarfs.

Back in the 1920s and 1930s, cartoon shorts particularly the Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony series were the real moneymakers. As such, many expected Snow White to be a failure and during its production called it “Disney’s Folly”.
However, by its premiere, critics, audience and everyone who thought the film was to fail was proven wrong and fell in love with Snow White. It was major critical and box office success and paved the way for Disney to become the international mass media entertainment empire it is now.

1: A Trip to the Moon

In the early days of film, Georges Méliès directed, produced, wrote, and starred in the first science fiction film, A Trip to the Moon.

Released in 1902, A Trip to the Moon was a black and white silent film, inspired by the novels From the Earth to the Moon (1865) and Around the Moon (1870) by Jules Verne and The First Man in the Moon (1901) by H. G. Wells.

The plot is exactly as what the title says, a group of French astronomers who go on a trip to the Moon in a cannon-propelled capsule crash land on the Moon’s eye and fight off lunar Selenites.

From its plot, the extraterrestrials, an alien landscape and of course unrealistic space travel;A Trip to the Moon is the proto-example of what an epic space science fiction film should be.

In the early days of film, Georges Méliès directed, produced, wrote, and starred in the first science fiction film, A Trip to the Moon.

In the early days of film, Georges Méliès directed, produced, wrote, and starred in the first science fiction film, A Trip to the Moon.

Released in 1902, A Trip to the Moon was a black and white silent film, inspired by the novels From the Earth to the Moon (1865) and Around the Moon (1870) by Jules Verne and The First Man in the Moon (1901) by H. G. Wells.

The plot is exactly as what the title says, a group of French astronomers who go on a trip to the Moon in a cannon-propelled capsule crash land on the Moon’s eye and fight off lunar Selenites.

From its plot, the extraterrestrials, an alien landscape and of course unrealistic space travel; A Trip to the Moon is the proto-example of what an epic space science fiction film should be.

After she cried a hurricane of tears on The Bachelor and two seasons of Bachelor in Paradise, Ashley Iaconetti successfully stands directly in the eye of the storm which is the media. With Access Hollywood appearances, a gig with ClevverTV, and an unapologetically honest podcast, Iaconetti makes the most out of her new-found fame and uses it to chase her dream and break through society ideals.

“I‘m so lucky that the Bachelor has opened doors for me the way it has,” Iaconetti shares. “I always wanted to be an entertainment/pop culture reporter and host and I’ve been fortunate to be able to accomplish what I have so far. Entertainment news is the hardest to break into.”

After a stint on Chris Soules’ season of The Bachelor, where she got sent home after a two and one with the season’s villain, Kelsey, and two runs on Bachelor in Paradise, Iaconetti has made a name for herself in the media world. As well as being busy when The Bachelor franchise airs; with TV appearances, Snapchat recaps for FabFitFun, and Cosmopolitan articles, Iaconetti has interviewed celebrities like Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer, and you can tell that she was born to do it.

“I’ve always been pretty chill when it comes to meeting celebrities, except for my celebrity crushes,” Iaconetti shares. “I can clam up with those a little bit. Ever since being on The Bachelor and having Bachelor fans approach me out in public, I’ve been extra chill with meeting celebrities now because now I really know, like they say, “Celebrities, they’re just like us!””

Those celebrity crushes include Leonardo DiCaprio and Harry Styles, both which she has dedicated podcasts to on her “I Don’t Get It” podcast, which includes herself, her sister Lauren, and best friend Naz Perez.

When her agent presented the idea of a podcast, Iaconetti agreed, excited to do something unrelated to the Bachelor franchise. It was a way to share more of herself and her personality and get away from the persona given to her through Bachelor edits. On the podcast, the girls discuss the things that confuse them; from guys, dating and pregnancy to Coachella. It also features guests, like Bachelor Alums Jade and Tanner Tolbert and former editor-in-chief of Seventeen Magazine, Anne Shoket.

Iaconetti holds nothing back in her podcast, and no topic, or so it seems, is off-limits. She is about being open and she shares everything and anything with her listeners, from her past diary entries to her dating experiences.

“I feel like we live in a society where picture perfect is too strived for,” Iaconetti explains. “Look at Instagram; the Insta stars only share the prettiest, sharpest, best lit photos of us doing the most fun, luxurious things. I think people are starved of realness. Starved of rawness. I make them question how normal their thoughts, emotions, appearances, etc. are. I believe in political incorrectness and the truth. I see the beauty in the mess. Being open helps people connect and relate to you. I want people to feel like they can connect and relate to me. Communication and relationships are so important and in this image conscious world I feel like we’re not connecting in deep, honest ways. I want to help facilitate changing that.”

Iaconetti is qualified for the media world too; her success is not only thanks to The Bachelor. With a Master’s degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from Syracuse University, and as owner and CEO of her video production company, E and S Media Creations, Iaconetti has always been ready to get herself out there.

In fact, Iaconetti uses her media company for her podcasts, celebrity interviews and her website. The Bachelor was the segue which helped her become well known, but Iaconetti did plenty of the work on her own.

“Before going on The Bachelor I thought of doing freelance wedding videography,” Iaconetti says. “I love romance obviously and love stories so I thought it would be awesome to tell them. I have the video and editing skills to do so. Rather than report news, you can share love with the world.”

Iaconetti did share love with the world; she was criticized for being the over-emotional girl on Prince Farming’s season of The Bachelor, and Bachelor in Paradise. There was a tally on how many times she cried throughout the show.

“I don’t understand how people can emotion shame like they did to me on The Bachelor,” Iaconetti shares. “How is it that my vulnerable, broken hearted state demonstrates weakness or dramatics to some people? I think it’s brave that I put my heart out there for the world to see and vocalized all the feelings I had internally.”

This is why despite the hate, this experience does not stop Iaconetti. She continues to share details about her life as a single girl, and her “journey to find love,” as The Bachelor host, Chris Harrison, would say. This is also the reason her fans love her. They appreciate that she is unapologetic of who she is, and her podcast calls out to the other single girls out there going through the same struggles.

Iaconetti looks up to Megyn Kelly, who has a great career and is also a mother and wife. Like Kelly, Iaconetti has the career and she continues to look for love; a love like her parents, who have a “wonderfully happy, healthy, long marriage.” Iaconetti realizes that if you are happy with yourself, the relationship will follow. She takes women on her journey of trying to understand how things work through her podcast. This makes it sort of an advice column; although it is not necessarily meant to be so. Her experiences, however, make her relatable to other single women.

“If a guy asks you out and there’s a slight connection or attraction, just go,” Iaconetti shares. “You’ve gotta get out there. I think dating practice is important even if the guy will never be anything monumental to you. Also, the busier and more successful you are personally, the more attractive you’ll be to the right guy.”

Listen to the “I Don’t Get It” podcast, and the “Almost Famous” podcast with Ashley Iaconetti and Bachelor alum, Ben Higgins.

If you’ve never heard of Sam Levin and you listened to his newest album, “Frame of Mind,” you may think he is 30. That is because at 15, Levin has the talent and intuitiveness of an experienced musician. Not only are his songwriting skills on point; Levin also plays the majority of the instruments on his self-released album, and produced it to perfection. At a time where legitimately good music is hard to come by, Levin shows us that it still exists.

The first track on the album is “Everything’s Okay,” which has a catchy instrumental build up until the vocals begin about a minute in. The song features an interesting experimentation with sound, and Levin’s vocals are smooth. The lyrics are surprisingly meaningful as well. The hook has lyrics like, “When I’m with you/I still miss you/I must tell you/that everything’s okay.”

The second track “Setup,” features female vocals and expertly played acoustic guitar. The song is about an untrustworthy girl and again has witty lyrics like, “She told me lies as light as feathers/ She said we could be young and infamous.” The hook is catchy and will have you singing along to it. This song is probably the best track on the album.

“Shades of Pale” again portrays Levin’s old soul with the song’s lyrics and he speeds it up with “Ride” a fun, optimistic, and more hectic tune which features both acoustic and electric guitar, and ends with backup vocals and the sound of clapping, which makes you picture a family singing together, and all you want to do is join in.

Another song that stand out is “I Sure Hope Not (Again),” where Levin thinks about the future and hopes he will always stay true to himself. The song is self-reflective with lyrics like, “When I’m older will I be/ Just like the person that I want to be?/ Will there peace?/Will I be fair?/Will I always be myself?/I sure hope so.”

“Telescope” is a sweet duet with lyrics like, “I don’t have much anything to do/ but all in all at least I got you.” “Metronome” is about how you can’t stop time, and the hook includes the lyrics, “The BPM’s too fast for me/ You can’t slow down a catastrophe.”

While you listen to this album, you completely forget that a teenager wrote, produced, and sings this album. It’s incredibly insightful and each song is unique while the album still manages to be coherent. If Levin is only 15, there’s no telling what he can do at 25. If you like Indie-rock, or even if you don’t, this album is worth a listen.

]]>http://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/sam-levin-frame-of-mind-review-amazing-talent-personified/feed/0808Rugby Road III EP Review: Nostalgia-Filled Rock Awesomenesshttp://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/rugby-road-iii-ep-review-nostalgia-filled-rock-awesomeness/
http://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/rugby-road-iii-ep-review-nostalgia-filled-rock-awesomeness/#respondTue, 27 Jun 2017 14:49:05 +0000http://kccwavewire.com/?p=828Rugby Road goes back in time with their EP titled III. The four track EP is great for old-school classic rockers who are looking for some new music to enjoy. The Philadelphia-based three-man band that calls their style “alternative rock” has been around for a while. They have played together for 25 years and have finally released new music since their last album which came out over 15 years ago. Rugby Road goes for a more sophisticated, old-school vibe, showcasing the experience they have accumulated over the years.

The first song on the EP, “Back to You,” is a reminder of a Bryan Adams song; maybe because he has one with the same title, but probably because the song is a real classic rock track that takes you back to the 80s.The first ten seconds of the song sounds like the beginning of One Republic’s “Love Runs Out,” and after that transitions into that classic rock sound. The song also features a surprising addition of backup vocals that sound like a choir, which is what makes this song different than other classic rock songs, making the song memorable.

“Nobody (Needs to Know)” a track that talks about keeping secrets, is another solid song on the EP. It’s a less frantic and more mellow tune with deeper lyrics like, “You burn the bridges way too soon/ You seem more distant than the moon.” The repetitive hook gets stuck in your head, and it’s a good song to bob your head to, with its steady beat. And of course, it wouldn’t be a good rock song without a guitar solo at the end, which wraps the song up nicely.

Rugby Road slows it down with the third song on their EP, “Spoken For,” which begins with piano and a gritty bass guitar beat. The song talks about not being able to make your own decisions, saying in the hook, “We’re not waiting anymore/ I know we’re already spoken for.”

The final song on the EP “Give it Away,” starts off with acoustic guitar, and ends with about a two-minute electric guitar solo which then transitions back to acoustic guitar, as if the song has bookends.

Rugby Road’s III, is great for people who crave some classic rock. The tracks have catchy tunes, and each song has a little something to change it up and make it different. The EP fulfills a need for a bit of nostalgia while it also features some interesting added tweaks.

]]>http://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/rugby-road-iii-ep-review-nostalgia-filled-rock-awesomeness/feed/0828Highland Kite ‘I’m Not Weak’ EP Review: Alanis Morissette Would Be Proudhttp://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/highland-kite-im-not-weak-ep-review-alanis-morissette-would-be-proud/
http://kccwavewire.com/2017/06/highland-kite-im-not-weak-ep-review-alanis-morissette-would-be-proud/#respondWed, 21 Jun 2017 00:00:36 +0000http://kccwavewire.com/?p=825What stands out in Highland Kite’s EP titled “I’m Not Weak” are the lyrics of each song. Lead singer, Marissa Lamar shines through with her expert songwriting. She transforms her band with thoughtful and powerful lyrics, which makes the band stand out. This EP, however, is not diverse with its tempo. The songs are slow and portray emotion and the EP does not have any tracks that you can dance to.

Alanis Morissette comes to mind when you listen to the EP’s first song, “Nothing to Say.” Lamar’s voice is not the same as Morissette’s, however, in this song about a critical friend, Lamar’s airy rock vocals have that similar 80s rocker sound. The lyrics are equal in quality with words like, “I overthink/I’m cynical/I do things wrong sometimes/I break/I spill my guts on stage to people I don’t know.” The hook, which consists of just the title of the song, is repetitive which therefore makes it a catchy track.

The second song on the EP is “Monster,” a slow self-reflecting track. In it, Lamar battles her inner demons with lyrics like, “When will the day arrive where I don’t eat myself alive/Where my monsters die and leave me in peace.” This song is just another car on Lamar’s honesty train, as she opens up through the lyrics in this song.

“Temporary Life” brings acoustic guitar plus beautiful backup vocals into the mix. One may even say that the backing vocals make the song, while the band follows the same tune with the instruments. This track talks about a breakup and putting all you can into a relationship that ends in failure. Again, the lyrics are authentic and honest with words like, “Excuse me for being so damn jaded/Excuse my enthusiasm, it’s obviously faded/ from breaking and shaking and trying and dying/ it was all for a temporary life.”

Lamar talks about her battle with Lyme disease in “You’ll Never Know.” She says, “My body was so frail from all the meds that I was on/You didn’t want to hold me.” Lamar criticizes her friend who could not be there for her when she needed it the most. The song features a steady electric guitar tune and experiments with different instrumental sounds.

The final song on the EP, “I’m Not Weak,” starts off with the same slow tempo as the rest, but then the hook transforms into a frantic electric guitar sound, as if Lamar demands to be heard before the EP ends. The song then goes back to its softer side when Lamar realizes that it’s okay to let go. She says, “I finally realize that’s it okay to break/I finally realize that it’s okay to not feel hate/I finally realize I’m not weak for always forgiving/That I’m not weak.”

Highland Kite’s “I’m Not Weak,” is filled with self-exploration and realization. Lamar digs deep and comes through with her lyrical talent. Her willingness to share her thoughts is what makes this EP.